Why Mangafox is douche baggy

Sadly this message is probably going to get across to only one or two people, not the millions that visit mangafox. But I guess I’ve got to start somewhere. Check out this article from Foolrules.

Anyway the message I want to get across:

Scanlators: Hey, when scanlators stop scanlating where do we get our manga from (I’m talking about manga that isn’t licensed and obtainable in other countries- because as a general rule you should try to buy the manga legally) So where do we get our manga from? Sites like Mangafox? WRONG. Sites like Mangafox, Mangahere, Mangarush, and others run by NOEZ are all pretty douchebaggy in certain aspects. Contrary to popular belief Mangafox does NOT create scanlations, scanlating groups do.

Here’s what scanlators do:

Buy raws (original Japanese manga), scanning (which is time taking, since they have to debind the manga and scan the goddamn thing PAGE BY PAGE, all the while ensuring quality), translating, cleaning, redrawing, typesetting, quality checking, and then releasing! Sounds like a lot of work right? That’s because it is. Scanlating groups spend time, money, and dedication to bring you manga that you’ll probably never thank them for.

Do they Profit? No, they generally don’t. And if they do make some money off of ads or donations, chances are that a lot of it’s going to be spent for site maintenance and buying raws. (I bring up the fact that scanlators are breaking copyright laws later on in the post and compare it to Mangafox’s style of breaking laws.)

What sites like Mangafox do:

They steal the translated manga from the scanlators without handing credit to them. By accumulating manga stolen from hundreds of groups, they’re able to generate millions of views on their site. Mangafox is the 1241st top visited site in the world. They literally make hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits for doing damn near nothing. They benefit from ads. They don’t respect the scanlators’ wishes, they no longer take down mangas upon their scanlators requests, they sell products and gain money from work scanlators did, and they add “Mangafox” watermarks to the chapters- leading readers to believe that they are the source of the scanlated manga- which they aren’t. And obviously, they’re profiting from work that they don’t even legally own.

What we can do in order to not be assholes

Visit the frikken scanlators’ site. At the end of each chapter they usually add a page mentioning their group name and site url. If that doesn’t make sense to you, you can easily find out the source of the manga scanlations by visiting Baka/Mangaupdates (awesome site by the way). If you’re too lazy to do that (which still makes you a bit of an asshole) or if the scanlators site doesn’t have an online reader, read on Batoto (which is generally not hated by scanlators). (Adblock’s good if you’re not going to ditch MF)

Better yet, buy the manga (if applicable). This is the best thing to do, plus it supports the actual creators, which is usually the aim of scanlators- to spread the manga and therefore draw more attention to it.

Why Batoto’s awesome

Batoto acknowledges the scanlators, they do not watermark, they respect the scanlation teams and allow them to easily access, upload, or take down their mangas, and the best: donations to Batoto are used for web hosting and the rest of the money’s sent to scanlation teams (which they can spend on raws and other stuff).

In the word of FoOlRulez:

If you are a reader, come to scanlators. We’re not just amateurs, and we’re really happy if you ask us help in finding the best quality releases. Populate our IRCs, spam in our forums and in our blogs, ask us anything. That’s how we roll. And survive.

Verdict:

Avoid reading on Mangafox, Manghere, or any other site run by NOEZ (or at least use Adblock when on their sites). Read on the scanlators sites using their online reader, be sure to thank them for taking their time to friggen scanlate, and if not that, read on Batoto. It’s okay to spend a couple of minutes getting the hang of it- it’s worth it if you don’t want more scanlating groups dying off. Buy the manga instead of reading it online. Spread the word.

—>Also, I’m aware that scanlators are breaking copyright laws by scanlating, but MangaFox is breaking the copyright laws, stealing the work from scanlators and taking credit for it, AND trying to make money off of it. Either way we’re wading through dirty grounds, but personally I’d rather stick to the lighter shades of grey than the darker ones.

31 thoughts on “Why Mangafox is douche baggy”

Well, MangaFox might be taken down any minute as pirates. I don’t know how they are still standing.

I think that the reason why sites like MangaFox exist is that people want to have their manga all on one site. Maybe scanlators need to have a network site where they can put all their manga and still be able to remove or change it any time they want. Right now, from my experience, trying to always read manga on the page of the scanlation group is not easy.

I would like to find this Adblock that you, author, suggested. I’m sorry, but my laptop is very slow and MF loads normally for me, while Batoto is actually not that bad :)) However, I still have to manage my manga-readings and it’s easier to do on MF. I would like to help in a little way, though. Where do I leave my thanks for the scanlators and where do I get this Adblock thing? Thank you :))

Hey, I’m sorry for the really late reply- I haven’t been on in a while.
You can find Adblock here https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/adblock/gighmmpiobklfepjocnamgkkbiglidom?hl=en-GB
The problem with Batoto is that it’s slow, so I understand if you read on Mangafox. It’s just the idea of people making money off of other people’s hard work (which was initially illegal anyway) that I don’t like. It’s like doubling the illegal factor. Plus we have the problem of most manga not being available outside of Japan, though that’s slowly changing especially with legal sites like Crunchyroll starting their online manga business (which you can check out here => http://www.crunchyroll.com/comics/manga)

You can find the scalator’s sites by searching on Baka http://www.mangaupdates.com/
A lot of times scanlators have online readers which function really well, so you may want to check that out prior to reading on other sites (which normally have slightly diminished quality).
Hope this helps and feel free to ask if you need anything else 🙂

Sadly, these online readers are doing exactly what many other sites are doing. They aggregate content found around the web. This is the same as a site that collects meme pictures or funny videos. Should we feel obligated always follow the source of every single image/video/audio not created by the web developer or distributor (often times everything)?

It’s difficult to admit, but online readers are simply providing a better service and/or marketing than the scanalators, and are thus finding success that way. It’s a dog eat dog world out there and sometimes you just have to accept it. Honestly, most people wouldn’t have even found manga being scanalated if not for these sites anyway.

Thanks for your interesting comment. And yeah, I get what you’re saying. Follow the scanlators or read on aggregate sites, it’s your choice- I’m just putting some facts out there.
So far I haven’t really come across scanlation sites taking manga from other scanlating groups but I’ll take your word for it. What you said about it being a dog-eat-dog world- that’s true, but like I mentioned in the post, would you stick to the lighter shades of grey or the darker ones? If I could lower my asshole potential, I’d go for it. It’s true that aggregate sites provide better services (which is why they do so well) but pretty much all of it is from the workload of others. Maybe you’re okay with it, but others may not be if they found out out about the truth behind it.
My hopes are that the crunchyroll manga-hosting will become really big, and then maybe we could get a much more diverse library supporting the creators, and we wouldn’t rely on scanlators to get manga. (Who knows? Maybe they’ll all switch over and work for CR- wouldn’t that be awesome?)
Also, (somewhat unrelated) what you said: “you just have to accept it.” It’s important to acknowledge and understand the reality of situations but that doesn’t mean you have to accept it- if we all accepted our situations the result would be stagnancy. There’s hardly going to be any change if you don’t spark a fire.

Oh man I would love that, an official translating site. If CR could do that that would be awesome. I’ve always wonder why they Japanese publishers don’t do that – release an electronic version that is translated. Other than the costs to do translations, there would be no printed publishing costs and if demand is high, they could publish printed versions for $$$ or go for a subscription model for the electronic content. There’s alot of ways to provide content. Right now the model that does not work is having printed publishers in the U.S. – because demand is not high enough.

If i were, say, as popular as the types of Kishimoto I don’t think I’ll be bothered as much with scanlations or downloadable free pdfs of my work. But that’s only because i’ve already generated enough profit to be popular across the globe.

On a more normal scale, i’d be flattered, but downright bothered by the idea of all the sales that don’t get through me and straight into those who intentionally pirate my work. It’s awful if you’re just starting and your output directly went that route. — illustrators have it worse, what with their watermarks removed and used for marketing ploys. Not like with published work that unless someone stole the manuscript and changed the name, the author’s “rights” of ownership for said title is secure.

it’s really such a huge grey area. but i do agree with you that those sites (and pirates and such, no matter how illegal) help spread the word of someone’s work, allowing them to attain popularity they never dreamed of having.

I guess it depends on how affected the industry in general would be…or how the artists, authors and publishers look at their work. Some actually like being pirated as long as their message is sent across. lol.

As you pointed out it’s a huge grey area and the idea that really talented mangakas are potentially losing money due to scanlations is really disheartening. With that being said I also seriously doubt that non-Japanese readers would purchase untranslated manga anyway.

My greatest hope, as JoeSixPack mentioned, is an official translating site (which I do believe started up a few years back but didn’t do so well due to poor advertising and a really bad user interface). A more successful example would be the collaboration between Naver and Oddsquad Scanlations which allows you to read translated manhwa on the original site itself with the use of a bookmark which allows you to see the English version. With the help of the scanlators the online manhwa is able to generate more views and I’m hoping that we’ll be seeing more such examples in the near future (possibly along with subscriptions to the material).

Your post is Bullshit. Mangafox reader etc are earning in your view ,We dont know if they copy or do this and that shit .The manga company are benefitting in Japan .And the site like mangafox manga here are not important In Country like japan they Buy it.

Your comment make’s little sense and what I could gather you just sound like a asshole who doesn’t want his free manga taken away. I personally buy all my manga if they’ve been translated by a offical translator as a physical copy because I like collecting shit, same as my anime too but if a manga hasn’t been translated offically I’ll go straight to the websites of the scanlators and like and see if they have done any chapters of said manga, because I sir, have morals.

just finished the current chapter of berserk in batoto!!! omg!! the quality’s even better!

my main problem is when i was reading my way through batoto for berserk, a huge gap of chapters were missing…so i had to plow through 20+ chapters at mangafox again ahaa *guilt*

i really do hope sites like batoto or the scanlators figure out a way to have a ‘user friendly’ site to read mangas etc. but i guess that’s what made mangafox work — since websites do need ads to keep alive. unless the site owner’s wealthy to sponsor it himself.

*sigh* I understand the guilt.
By the way, do you recommend continuing the Berserk manga? I watched the anime + the movies, but I’ve avoided starting the manga because it’s around 40 volumes into the story with no clear ending in sight. I’m afraid of it dragging on or becoming less interesting.
Recommend or not?

As an artist I’m pushing through it because I want to see and try to pick on Miura’s brain why the sudden change of mood of the story.

Imagine, 23…24 years of work, most of it was completely dark and psychologically traumatizing. It was either Miura’s getting haunted by his own work that he wanted to lighten it up a little and we’re all in for a big surprise. Or the capitalism bit has taken over and put reins on what Miura wanted to really write about…we can never tell. And that uncertainty makes me want to wait until he releases the final chapter.

I recommend it if it’s more than just a story to you. 🙂

But for entertainment purposes…eeeh…well…aaah..let’s just go see updates on other series. XD

I find it hard to believe that Berserk would turn lighthearted at any point (are you certain nothing was impaled at the business end of the unicorn?).
But I guess we can’t really blame the guy for wanting to go in a lighter direction. So I’ll check out the manga, but at some point I’ll probably (a) get frustrated that there’s no ending in sight, or (b) start worrying about the imminent demise of the author.

Well…one of the unicorns did get caught up in the talons of some harpies so I guess that counts. LOL!

One good thing about these sorts of stories is that…..fans can write amazing fanfics about it. It’s such a vast world now that possibilities are endless. I would love to see stories about Laban and Owen. And the pasts of Grifitth’s Neo Band of the Hawk members and why are they apostles.

Although…I must say, chapter 330+ started getting interesting again. It looks like the happy happy light fantasy won’t really last for long. 🙂 It did happen for a reason after all…and it kinda reminds me of how Korra ended up opening the gateway of the spirit world with the physical world.

Goodluck with it though! It made me sleepless for two weeks. And yet somehow, I don’t regret any bit of it. xD

I like your POV(?) about this. Usually when I read someone’s comment about how they think mangafox should be taken down I disagree and come up with reasons/excuses why I think it’d be better to keep these manga sites up, like I want to know if it’s worth buying first. I wouldn’t mind using Botato all the time, but I noticed not all the chapters are published there. I would like to buy the manga itself (before the manga I liked were at least $60 on amazon), but I couldn’t. Even though it’s cheaper, I still need a debit card. Also, living with my step father and being who he is, a homophobe, makes it a lot harder to get. eBay can’t work either because we don’t do paypal. My mother and stepfather aren’t really helping me out with money. They won’t even let me get a job, so I can’t buy manga myself. -_- Any suggestions please? I really want to buy manga. B&N is very lacking in manga where I live.

Honestly… don’t worry about buying manga too much. I mean yes, I am in agreement of supporting the industry, but it sounds like to me that you’re a (female?) who still hasn’t graduated from high school yet. Don’t worry about spending your bucks on manga just yet, especially if it’s going to be a problem with your parents. And I’m not saying this in a condescending way, I’m saying this as someone who understands the problem.

Obviously it’s your business, but if your parents aren’t helping you out with money, then chances are you’re going to have to invest in your hobbies with your own money- which will have to wait until you get a job, which would likely follow graduation (following the assumption that you’re in high school). Try to gain more independence and hopefully your parents will let you get a job soon plus a credit/debit card (you could try convincing them to let you apply for jobs by telling them about the benefits that come with it for students). What do you think about that?
And really, don’t worry about spending money on manga if you have none to spend (and I get it- it’s frustrating as hell, but also remember that the target audience for manga isn’t foreigners, and what they make from oversees is hardly anything compared to what’s sold within the country. That’s not to say don’t support the industry- I’m just saying don’t feel too guilty if you can’t do so).

Yes, I’m a female and I’m a high school graduate. I do want to have independence, but they won’t let me have any of it, so it’s impossible for me to make money. I have talked to my both of them, too. I don’t mean to complain about my life, but these are the main reasons I can’t buy manga. No car (transportation bus is an hour away), no college experience (I didn’t know much about college, so I think that was partially my fault and partially school’s fault-for not telling much about it), and my disabilities. Sorry it took so long to reply. I thought I’d get an email, but I didn’t. But my dad got me a manga I’ve been wanting ever since I can remember. I’d actually prefer reading the manga itself than using Internet if I could. I talked to my mother about this and she tells me she was thinking about helping me get a job, but it never happens… Kind of sounds like I want independence just to buy manga. Lol. That’s just one of many.

I can understand the frustration of scanlators but the thing is that, no matter how bad it is for you, you really can’t realistically be mad at people that use big sites like mangafox… it all comes down to ease. General populase can not be asked to give a damn about how the manga scanlation got to this or that site, they just want regular updates, thats all… its sad but true.

I have used mangafox quite a lot, I’m ashamed to admit, EVEN though I know they have nothing to do with the scanlation process. I do use addblock but even that I do only cause I dont want to have my screen clogged with adds not because I want to deny revenue from them.

We live in unfair world. If I wasn’t so god damn poor I would donate to scanlators to make them feel littel better, but I have barely enough to get by myself. *sigh* I do buy mangas occasionally though.

I guess my point is as follows: Keep on doing what you are doing! Most of us manga lovers know who are the ones that do all the hard work; mangakas (of course) and scanlators. Thank you.

Well I’ve read from mangafox and I haven’t seen any watermarks saying manga Fox. The introductory part of the chapters say who scans it and everything that is not taken down. So whether or not they have any water marks on it shouldn’t make any difference. They’re just saying where you’re reading it at.